Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) and 18 other Senate Democrats wrote a letter to President Joe Biden asking him to establish the framework for the United States to recognize a nonmilitarized Palestinian state.
The senators pointed to diplomatic relations in the Middle East and the influence America has had in the region in the past. Carper said the Israel-Hamas war has reached an “inflection point” and that the president’s leadership is needed for Israelis and Palestinians to live peacefully.
“We request the Biden Administration promptly establish a bold, public framework outlining the steps necessary for the U.S. to recognize a nonmilitarized Palestinian state, which includes the West Bank and Gaza, to be governed by a revitalized and reformed Palestinian Authority,” according to the letter.
“It is our firm belief that only with two states for two peoples — an independent Israel alongside an independent Palestinian state — will we see enduring peace in the region and safety and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”
The senators referred to former President George H.W. Bush’s diplomatic efforts when he said “the time has come to put an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict.” The senators also highlighted former President Bill Clinton’s negotiations at the White House that led to the Oslo Accords, a peace agreement between the two states where for the first time Israeli and Palestinian leaders recognized each other’s right to self-governance.
The senators pushed Biden to engage with more diplomacy in the region as his predecessors did.
“The diplomatic steps that you and your Administration have taken have been of utmost importance, and we urge you to do even more. We believe it is critical at this moment for the United States to signal our willingness to lead a regional peace initiative that would eventually result in U.S. recognition of a nonmilitarized Palestinian state, as well as Israel’s full integration into the region.”
Notably missing from the list of signatures is Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). Last week, Sanders wrote a letter to the president asking Biden to stop sending arms to Israel until aid is expanded. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is also missing from the list of signatories following his speech demanding a new election in Israel to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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The senators are asking for an agreement in which Palestinian leaders “accept the principles of two states — an Israeli and a Palestinian state — and renounce Hamas and all terrorist activity.”
“Despite decades of U.S. support for this policy, there has been limited success in bringing it to fruition,” the senators wrote. “In order to prevent future deaths and insecurity for both Palestinians and Israelis, the U.S. must continue to take decisive action to bring about a two-state solution once and for all.”